Alberto Iván Ricica Siskova
Br Alberto Ivan Ricica Siskova began his work as Director of Communications of the General Government on 1st of January, replacing Br Antonio Martínez Estaún. Br Alberto is from Guatemala, with parents originally from Czechoslovakia. Because of the II World War, they « landed » in Guatemala, where they settled and raised a family of 5 children.
Alberto came to know the Marist Brothers at the « Liceo Guatemala » where he did his primary and secondary schooling. He obtained a diploma in Sciences and Literature in 1967.
He entered the juniorate in Guatemala in 1965. From 1967 to 1969 he did his novitiate at Pontós, in the province de Gerona, Spain. Part of his scholasticate was spent in Miranda de Ebro, province of Burgos, and the rest back at the new scholasticate in Guatemala. He made perpetual profession in 1975.
Alberto studied Mathematics at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala and at the University of Valle. From 1986 to 1988 he was at the International College in the General House and obtained a degree in Moral Theology from the « Academia Alfonsiana » of the Lateran University in Rome.
His life has been consecrated to education, particularly of youth, first as teacher, then as director of the « Liceo Coatepeque », in the department of Quetzaltenango in Guatemala, director of the « Colegio Champagnat » de Santa Tecla in El Salvador, and the « Liceo Guatemala ». He has also been community superior several times.
In 1984 he participated in the Inter-American Congress of Catholic Education in Caracas, Venezuela. He also took part in a course for directors of establishments with a view to obtaining a diploma in Educational Leadership and Administration in 2007 and 2008.
In 1986 he returned to Czechoslovakia with his parents. In 2010 he followed the spirituality course of the Escorial, at Los Negrales, close to Villalba, province of Madrid. Afterwards, he paid another visit to his parent’s homeland with his sister and her family.
Br Alberto has always been interested in electronics. Early on, he acquired a good mastery of the PC and other instruments, and software programmes relating to the treatment of text, tables, data base, graphics, animation and sound. He has always been keen to become acquainted with new fields of this technology.
The request from the Superior General, Br Emili Turú, to be the successor of Br Antonio Martínez Estaún as Director of Communications of the General Government came as a surprise. In accepting it, he said he had always tried to give his best in all that he did, including the offices entrusted to him. Before commencing his work and responsibilities, he received due instruction from his predecessor so that communication with all the members of the Institute and friends of the Marists may develop for the better and in a creative way.